The lunch break was quite long, so after eating, the two didn't rush back to the teaching building. Instead, they found a stone bench by the tree-lined path and sat down.
" Zhang Zaowan, you're so bad! Why didn't you just cut straight into the enemy backline in that last wave?"
While watching Zhang Zhaomu's gameplay, Chen Zhenzhen commented, "With your ultimate and Flash, how could you not kill a squishy marksman?"
"They have a million crowd control abilities on the other side!" Zhang Zhaomu stared at his phone screen, annoyed, and argued, "If our tanks don't initiate the team fight, won't I, an assassin, be instantly melted if I enter the fray?"
"Didn't you boast about your positioning skills?" Chen Zhenzhen scoffed. "When the enemy uses crowd control, don't you know how to dodge it? And you blame your teammates for not initiating the team fight? Real pros can take on five opponents at once!"
Zhang Zhaomu flushed slightly, and he angrily retorted, "What are you doing here, a noob I carried to the King rank?!"
"Getting impatient," Chen Zhenzhen chuckled. "Can't I even criticize the food I served?"
Zhang Zhaomu: "Come and fight me if you dare!"
"I'm not playing." Chen Zhenzhen wasn't going to give the other person a chance to retaliate. "I just love watching you play; it's so satisfying to watch you play badly."
Zhang Zhaomu:
This guy is so aggressive today, it feels like he's trying to unleash all the pent-up frustration from last week.
So he quickly initiated a surrender vote, and his teammates, who had already been suffering greatly, responded enthusiastically.
"I'm not playing anymore."
Chen Zhenzhen immediately became anxious. "Let's play another round! Class is still a while away!"
"Heh." Zhang Zhaomu chuckled dismissively. "I don't have the habit of enjoying being insulted."
He stood up and stretched. "By the way, don't wait for me tonight."
Chen Zhenzhen was taken aback. "No, Zhang Zaowan, do you have to be so petty? I just said a few things to you, is it really necessary to make such a fuss?"
"At most, we should just stay silent while watching from now on!"
"You're overthinking it," Zhang Zhaomu explained. "I have to go for a run at the track tonight."
"That Saitama Training Method?" Chen Zhenzhen pursed her lips. "Are you serious... ten kilometers?"
"Of course I'm serious," Zhang Zhaomu replied. "I already ran four kilometers this morning."
Chen Zhenzhen gave a thumbs up, thought for a moment, and said, "Then I'll run with you."
"Are you sure?" Zhang Zhaomu glanced at her sideways.
This guy is just like me, he basically never exercises.
"I'm sure!" Chen Zhenzhen puffed out her chest and raised her head. "Who do you think you are! If you can run, why can't I?"
Zhang Zhaomu unconsciously lowered his gaze.
With that build, running must be quite tiring for him, right?
"Suit yourself." He looked away and said, "But if you can't run anymore, don't blame me for abandoning you."
"Hmph, mind your own business," Chen Zhenzhen analyzed. "You've only just started training, who knows who can last longer!"
"After all, I exercise for much longer than you usually!"
Zhang Zhaomu clicked his tongue. "What's your basis for that?"
"My home is farther than yours!" Chen Zhenzhen said confidently. "I walk at least twice as much further as you every day!"
Zhang Zhaomu:
66
That makes sense.
If we disregard the fact that I have cheat codes... well, I can't really ignore that.
Little Chen Zhen brought shame upon himself.
The bell rang to signal the end of evening self-study.
Zhang Zhaomu finished memorizing the last knowledge point in the first-year high school geography textbook, and only then did he shed his " Academic Ace " persona.
"So far, except for mathematics, all other subjects have caught up with the first-year high school curriculum."
"His progress in English vocabulary is even a bit ahead of schedule; he has already memorized this semester's textbooks."
"There are still a few days left. Even if we only study during class time, it will be very easy to catch up with the pace of the first three weeks of the second year of high school."
Thinking of this, Zhang Zhaomu felt a surge of accomplishment.
Learning isn't that difficult!
Look, he finished a year's worth of study in just one week! Although the " Academic Ace " persona provided a tiny bit of help, his own hard work is undeniable, accounting for at least 99% of the credit!
This isn't about stealing credit; it's supported by theoretical basis. After all, even geniuses have to put in 99% effort. Ultimately, if you don't study, how can the focused talent that comes with the " Academic Ace " persona be of any use?
He was about to stand up when he suddenly noticed that Xiang Qing was still there, resting her chin on her hand and staring at him.
"What are you going to do?" Zhang Zhaomu asked bluntly.
"I've been waiting for you," Xiang Qing said. " Zhenzhen said you two made plans to go for a run at the track tonight. Since I live in the school dormitory too, I'll join you."
"... Alright."
He was a little surprised; he hadn't expected that starting to work out because of being a " Fitness Expert " would inspire others to join in.
After all, getting some exercise is never a bad thing.
The two walked downstairs side by side. Chen Zhenzhen was already waiting at the bottom of the stairs, along with her deskmate Wang Qianzi.
The team has grown once again.
" Zhang Zhaomu, I heard you're planning to run ten kilometers later?" Wang Qianzi, being a bit too friendly, chimed in with a smile, "That's more than twenty laps, I can't run that long. Zhenzhen and I will be cheering you on from the sidelines."
"To be precise, it's six kilometers." Zhang Zhaomu glanced at Chen Zhenzhen.
This guy brought so many people, is he trying to make a fool of himself by showing them off?
However, he quickly dismissed this unfriendly guess; most likely, this guy hadn't thought that far ahead, and was just... with others.
I casually mentioned it while we were chatting.
" Chen Zhen, you're quite meticulous. Did you go back and change your clothes this afternoon?"
Chen Zhen was originally wearing a skirt today, but now she's wearing a T-shirt and shorts, a return to her old, unkempt style.
"Hmph!" Chen Zhenzhen raised her chin slightly.
You fool Zhang Zaowan, don't think I didn't notice the lewd look you gave me at noon!
Did you think I'd have trouble running because of my chest?
Naive, so incredibly naive!
How could the clever Chen Zhenzhen, the Great Demon King, possibly do as you wish? She went back specifically to wrap herself up, just to give this guy a good slap in the face!
Zhang Zhaomu raised an eyebrow, wondering what this person was suddenly so smug about.
When they arrived at the track and field stadium, there were far more people than Zhang Zhaomu had expected.
Of course, there aren't many people seriously jogging at night; most are just strolling in twos and threes, and there are also many couples who seem to be in a flirtatious atmosphere, secretly holding hands when they reach a place where they won't attract attention.
I'd heard that the track and field stadium was a popular date spot at night, and now I finally see for myself...
However, Zhang Zhaomu scoffed at this behavior. After glancing around casually, he began warming up on the spot, while looking at the other three. "Shall we start now?"
"Come on!" Chen Zhenzhen warmed up in a very professional manner.
Wang Qianzi to the side, wasn't as tense. She just kept glancing at Zhang Zhaomu, Chen Zhenzhen, and Xiang Qing with ambiguous eyes, lingering on Xiang Qing the longest.
The four started running at the same time, with Chen Zhenzhen taking the lead and sprinting ahead. She didn't forget to turn back and mock, " Zhang Zaowan, is this all the speed you're going for? Slow! Too slow!"
Zhang Zhaomu ignored her and calmly said, "This is for training, not a competition. Besides, if you run this fast, you won't be able to keep up for long."
"Hehehe." Chen Zhenzhen made a face. Of course she knew she couldn't run too fast, but she just wanted to speed up and get ahead of Zhang Zhaomu.
This clever little detail meant he could only keep chasing after her retreating figure!
As Chen Zhenzhen's best friend, Wang Qianzi naturally picked up her pace and ran alongside Chen Zhenzhen.
Xiang Qing quietly ran alongside Zhang Zhaomu. With her longer legs, she found it quite easy to run at her current pace.
She looked a little happy, and as she ran, she said softly, "This is my first time running at night, and it seems..."
It's quite interesting; the breeze is very refreshing.
"What a coincidence, it's my first time too." Zhang Zhaomu smiled.
"Really?" Xiang Qing was pleasantly surprised. "Finally, there's something we've both done for the first time, and we're doing it together!"
Zhang Zhaomu felt that what she said was a bit strange and didn't know how to respond.
So he simply hummed in response.
Xiang Qing didn't seem to mind and continued, " Zhang Zhaomu, are you planning to come running every day from now on?"
"I'll be coming every day for at least this week."
As for things in the longer term... although this training plan seems very appealing, making one want to stick with it for three years and see if they can become One-Punch Man, Zhang Zhaomu felt that he probably wouldn't be able to stick with it.
It wasn't a matter of willpower, but rather that he couldn't predict what kind of persona he would acquire later.
For example, if someone is portrayed as Laziness, then there's nothing more to say; they can just lie down and be done with it.
"Then invite me next time you want to go for a night run. I think it's a lot of fun to run with friends at night."
"OK."
The two chatted casually, while Chen Zhenzhen and Wang Qianzi, who were running ahead, were also talking in hushed tones.
" Zhenzhen, I have a question." Wang Qianzi secretly glanced back. "Although you talked to me before, saying you really like Xiang Qing's personality and are willing to be friends with her, but... is it really okay to just let your man and Xiang Qing spend every day like this?"
"Here you go again!" Wang Qianzi's tone was a little exasperated. "I've already said there's no such thing as pure friendship between men and women! Take you and Zhang Zhaomu, for example, can you still confidently say that you two are just friends?"
"Why... why can't I?" Chen Zhenzhen's tone was a little hesitant. "We're just good friends."
"You're just being stubborn," Wang Qianzi sighed, then analyzed, "Let me ask you from another angle: do you think Xiang Qing is pretty?"
"Can't you find anyone prettier than her?" Chen Zhenzhen said this without hesitation, after all, Xiang Qing really fit her aesthetic standards. Before, because she thought Xiang Qing was prettier than Duan Chan'er, Duan Chan'er accidentally overheard her and was speechless on the spot.
"Then do you think Zhang Zhaomu is a normal man?" Wang Qianzi asked again.
Chen Zhenzhen scoffed and said decisively, "Of course not!"